#130: How to Craft Romantic Chemistry & Tension Between Characters

Fiction Writing Made Easy

Savannah Gilbo

Education, Fiction, Writing Tips, Arts, Bestseller, Writing, How To, Author, Writing Community, Books, Novel, How To Write Fiction, Writing Fiction, Writer, How To Write A Book

4.9 • 1.5K Ratings

🗓️ 20 February 2024

⏱️ 26 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

“ Flat or boring characters who are underdeveloped are never going to light up a scene, no matter how many tricks you pull.” - Savannah Gilbo

If you’re writing romance, the chemistry and tension between your characters can make or break your story. Let’s explore how to create romantic chemistry between two characters in an authentic and compelling way to keep readers on the edge of their seats. Here’s a preview of what’s included:

[01:44] What is chemistry?

[03:01] The first thing we need to do when creating chemistry between two characters is to have fully fleshed-out characters with their own goals, motivations, and inner obstacles.

[03:42] Capitalize on opportunities for opposition and harmony between your characters.

[07:41] The 3 key ingredients of chemistry are vulnerability, desire, and resistance

[09:14] Examples from Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros.

[17:51] Writing romantic tension between romantic and non-romantic characters

[22:56] If you want to master crafting irresistible chemistry and tension, I highly recommend studying your favorite stories. This is the best way to improve your writing. You can ask yourself questions like:

What do I like about the chemistry and tension between these two characters?
How did the author play on each character’s vulnerabilities within the relationship?
What does each character like (or desire) about the other (physically, mentally, and emotionally)?
How did the author create resistance between the characters? Why do the characters not want the relationship to move forward?
What can I replicate in my own writing?

And if you need help getting started with your story, check out my FREE Story Starter Kit: 5 Questions To Ask Before You Start Writing. This fillable workbook will help you build out the foundational elements of your story: genre, character, setting, plot, and theme. Grab your free copy here!

Links mentioned in this episode:

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Are you someone that has a passion for memoirs? If so, how would you like to become a book coach that's specifically trained in helping authors produce memoirs they're proud of?
0:08.4	If that sounds like a dream, I encourage you to sign up for author Accelerator's memoir certification course.
0:14.0	For the rest of February, they're offering $500 off the price of the program
0:18.0	so you won't want to miss this if you're interested in becoming a memoir coach.
0:21.6	To learn more, go to Savannah Gilboe.com forward memoir coach. To learn more go to Savannah Gilbo.com
0:24.0	forward slash coach one more time that's Savannah Gilboo.com forward slash coach to
0:28.6	learn more about author accelerators memoir certification program. Now you might be wondering can chemistry exist in non-romantic
0:36.4	relationships and the answer is yes it can and it should but you might need to be
0:41.4	a little more loose with those three ingredients.
0:44.4	So for example, maybe there's very little to no resistance between the two characters.
0:49.8	And what I mean by that is maybe the reason one or both of your characters are resisting the relationship
0:55.5	comes down to more of a preference, not a need.
0:58.4	Welcome to the Fiction Writing Made Easy podcast. My name is Savannah Gilboe and I'm here to help you write a story that works.
1:08.0	I want to prove to you that writing a novel doesn't have to be overwhelming.
1:12.0	So each week I'll bring you a brand new episode with
1:14.4	simple, actionable, and step-by-step strategies that you can implement in your
1:18.6	writing right away. So whether you're brand new to writing or more of a seasoned author looking to improve your craft, this podcast is for you.
1:25.6	So pick up a pen and let's get started.
1:30.3	In today's episode, we're going to talk about how to craft romantic chemistry and tension between your characters.
1:36.5	And we're going to use the fourth wing by Rebecca Yaroos as a case study.
1:41.0	Now, it's no secret that if you're writing a romance novel or a story with a romantic
1:46.1	subplot that the romantic chemistry and tension between your two characters can
	...

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